"What in the world shall I do with them," she cried, returning
with her apron well filled with treasures, and borne down by the
weight thereof.

"Give 'em to me," cried Joe. "Here's a basket, drop 'em in, and
I'll run like a brush-fire through the town and across the old
bridge, and hide 'em as safe as a weasel's nap."

Joe's fingers were creamy; his mouth was half filled with
Johnny-cake, and his pocket on the right bulged to its utmost
capacity with the same, as he held forth the basket; but the
little woman was afraid to trust him, as she had been afraid to
trust her neighbors.

"No! No!" she replied, to his repeated offers. "I know what
I'll do. You, Joe Devins, stay right where you are till I come
back, and, don't you ever LOOK out of the window."

"Dear, dear me!" she cried, flushed and anxious when she was out
of sight of Uncle John and Joe. "I WISH I'd given 'em to Col.
Barrett when he was here before daylight, only, I WAS afraid I
should never get sight of them again."

She drew off one of her stockings, filled it, tied the opening at
the top with a string-plunged stocking and all into a pail full
of water and proceeded to pour the contents into the well.

Just as the dark circle had closed over the blue stockings, Joe
Devin's face peered down the depths by her side, and his voice